Born As the Seventh Month Dies
by lydi-cyan
Summary: One-shot, AU. The meeting of Lord Voldemort and James Potter in the house at Godric's Hollow, where James had his wand.
**A/N: This is a one-shot of a different way in which Voldemort was defeated, involving James Potter. Sorry for readers who want me to update The Pharaoh of Egypt, but my muse has deserted me at the moment. I will finish it though, don't worry. I was struck with inspiration and wrote this one-shot instead, hope you guys like it.**

 **Virtual cookies to those who review.**

 **I don't own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does. The only thing that is mine is the story-line.**

 **Lydi**

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off -" shouted James.

Voldemort blasted the red door off its hinges, laughing as he did so. He stepped into the house, through the small front entrance and into the living room where James Potter stood defiantly, his cup of tea smashed and spilt all over the floor.

"You won't get my family!" James shouted fiercely, "You'll have to get through me first."

"Well," Voldemort replied smoothly, "I was going to do that anyways, so you have not really changed my plans."

He glided forwards. His robes, black as his soul, swirled around him almost lovingly. Voldemort looked over James carefully.

"I do not know how your son could be important," he said derisively, "You are not much of anything and a blood traitor to boot. The Potters were once a noble pureblood family, marrying Blacks, Bones and Abbotts not mudbloods. Now though, look how low they have fallen. The whole family obliterated, only two left, both about to die. Consorting with werewolves, mudbloods, muggles and other blood traitors. Your ancestors must be so proud."

"My ancestors would be proud as Potter's always protect those they love, no matter where they come from. And you're not going to get my family, Voldemort, as I will defend them." retorted James.

"Of course," returned Voldemort, raising his wand, " _Avada Kedavra_."

James dodged out of the way smoothly, raising his wand as he did so. Silently, he transfigured the sofa cushions into scorpions and deadly spiders, directing them to Voldemort. He started to cast spells rapidly, not pausing except for a quick inhale of air.

" _Confringo_!"

" _Reducto_!"

" _Expulso_!"

Voldemort blocked everything. He laughed, readying himself to attack.

"Pathetic. You don't really expect to defeat me do you? A child could fight better than that. I hope you do not think this fighting is buying time for your wife and child to escape. I set the wards myself. No one leaves this house but me. Only Albus Dumbledore himself would have a chance at taking them down and even for him it is doubtful." Voldemort taunted James, "You will die, and your family with you."

James understood what Voldemort was saying and decided he would give it his all. If his wife and son could not escape, there was no point in buying any time. With a sudden flash of inspiration and the realisation that the spiders and scorpions were still alive and nearing Voldemort, he made a plan. Covertly, he transfigured the cup on the ground from earlier and slipped it up his sleeve, whilst ducking and weaving the spells Voldemort sent at him

" _Oppugno_!" he exclaimed and the objects around the room came to life and started attacking Voldemort. The side-table charged at him on legs that suddenly had feet, the bookcase shot books repeatedly from its shelves, the sofa behind him hit the back of Voldemort's legs, trying to cause him to lose his balance.

" _Agua eructo_!" yelled James quickly and a jet of water leapt from the tip of his wand hitting Voldemort's shield. James kept the spell up for a few seconds before leaping straight at Voldemort.

In mid-air he changed. Almost effortlessly James turned into a majestic stag, his horns ramming through Voldemort's shield, not designed to defend from brute force animal attacks. Voldemort, disordered from the constant attacks was surprised by the sudden weight of the mighty stag and fell to the ground.

As the pair fell James returned to his natural form and quickly ordered the deadly creatures to attack. As Voldemort noticed them and started to try to defend himself and push James up off him, James reached into his sleeve.

With Voldemort slightly preoccupied, and his wife and child in mind, James surreptitiously slid the sharp knife he had transfigured earlier between the feared Dark Lord's ribs.

The dagger went straight through flesh and sliced through organs. James twisted it and pulled it out. Before Voldemort had a chance to heal himself or attack James, James raised it again and stabbed it straight through his right eye.

The most dreaded Dark Lord, commander of ranks of murderous Death Eater, killer of hundreds, died quickly. With the two stab wounds he was unable to do anything as James took his wand, yew and phoenix feather, from his weak grip and stood back. Voldemort's lifeblood leaked out onto the carpet as he expired. Carefully James leaned in and whispered in his ear, the last words Voldemort would hear alive,

"Don't ever get between a Potter and his family. You won't live to regret it; you'll die regretting it."

Pulling away from the Dark Lord, James stood and watched for a couple more seconds as the light left Voldemort's eyes. He quickly cast a spell to check for life signs and sighed in relief when it came up negative.

Voldemort was dead. James Potter had killed him.

James sunk to the floor as tears of relief escaped his eyes. He had won, the war was over and, most importantly, his family was safe.

Minutes later, after pulling himself together, he rose and headed for the stairs. Climbing them quickly he went to the door of his son's nursery and carefully opened the door.

"You won't take him, not Harry," cried Lily, "Please not Harry – James?"

"Lily!" returned James, "Are you both alright?"

"I think I should be the one asking you that James. What happened? Where is _he_?" Lily questioned.

"Voldemort is dead." James replied. Lily gasped in shock. "I killed him." continued James.

"How?" asked Lily, "And are you sure?"

"I put a knife through his ribs and then through his eye. I've checked with the spell _signa vitae_. It came up negative. He's definitely dead. Is Harry alright?" answered James.

"He's fine," replied Lily, "He was scared at the noises from your fight but then so was I. James, when everything was quiet, I was, I thought . . . I thought you were dead James. I was so scared and, the, the thought of you lying there, in our home, the life gone from your eyes, murdered by that evil man. Who was coming for us next. He was going to murder Harry. He's just a baby, I don't care about that prophecy that Dumbledore believes in, Harry is just a child. he should be playing with Neville and his toys, with Sirius and Remus and – "Lily cut herself off.

"Pettigrew." James and Lily growled in sync.

"I'm going to kill him." continued James, "He betrayed us Lily, we were friends and he gave us up to Voldemort."

"I know James; I want to kill him too. But first I think we need to let people know that Voldemort is dead and get the aurors searching for him." replied Lily. "And then – "

They both paused as they heard a crash from downstairs. James turned to Lily and said, "I'll check what's happening, you stay here with Harry."

James carefully made his way down, trying not to make a sound. He looked through the door and smiled in relief.

"Sirius!" he exclaimed. "Thank Merlin you're here."

"James?" asked Sirius cautiously, "Is that you?"

"Of course it's me you idiot, who else would it be?" returned James.

"Tell me what you did when you found out Lily was pregnant." replied Sirius, "I need to be sure."

"Well, I fainted when she told me," James answered, "Then when I woke up, I danced around the house putting up banners and balloons before flooing you, Remus and Pettigrew," James paused to growl, "And the four of us spent the night at the Leaky Cauldron drinking until around 3 a.m. when I went home to Lily who used some inventive curses on me and made me sleep on the sofa for a week. It was horrible. She really can be quite evil, but I married her anyway."

"James!" Sirius exclaimed. "It's really you! How did you survive? Not that I'm not glad you did, but it's rather unexpected!"

"I killed Voldemort." replied James, "With a knife through his ribs, then straight through his eye. He's really dead, Sirius. Look, his body is over there." James gestured with his hand.

"Merlin's beard," said Sirius, "The war's over? And you're all safe?"

"Yes," returned James, "Lily and Harry are upstairs, fine. The war is over, though Death Eater's may want to avenge their Master. Let's go get them."

The pair went upstairs and into Harry's nursery. They were met with Lily Evans Potter's wand, brandished in their faces.

"Sirius!" she cried, lowering her wand, "Thank Merlin it's you. I thought maybe Voldemort wasn't dead and you had to fight him again James, I was so worried."

At her cry, little Harry woke up, opening his eyes to reveal emeralds shining brightly in the dim light of the room. "Dada." he said, holding his arms out to James, "Pick up please."

James tenderly took his son off Lily and stroked his hair.

"You alright little man?" he asked.

"Dada," replied Harry, looking round.

"Pa'foo!" he shouted in joy. "Pa'foo!"

He continued to turn, seemingly searching for something.

"Pa'foo, where Mooey?" he asked Sirius.

"Moony, umm, he's going to visit soon Harry. He's just got a job at the moment, but he's going to come back soon because he loves you, like we do." replied Sirius.

"Mummy loves you Harry," said Lily lovingly, "And Daddy loves you too."

"Harry luv Mama, Dada, Pa'foo, Mooey, Nev, Aunty Ally and Unca Frank. Luv, luv, luv. Now Harry wants food." he demanded.

* * *

Life continued for the family. James became famous as The-Man-Who-Defeated, but used his fame to help the aurors with funding so they could find all the Death Eaters still at large. With this help, the Longbottom family were quickly saved from the wands of the three Lestranges and Barty Crouch Junior, and Peter Pettigrew was captured. The five were sentenced to life in Azkaban.

Lucius Malfoy and the other Death Eaters who tried to plead the Imperius Curse were forced to take Veritaserum and sentenced to life in Azkaban. Severus Snape, revealed as Dumbledore's spy, was sentenced to 2 years in the low-security section of Azkaban for his crimes, after which he went on to become a revered Potion's Master, creating potions such as Wolfsbane for werewolves and cures for over exposure to the Cruciatus curse.

Voldemort's body was cremated and his ashes thrown into the sea.

Harry grew up to be close friends with Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Luna Lovegood. He spent his years in Hogwarts in Gryffindor House, though Hermione and Luna were in Ravenclaw. Draco Malfoy was not much of an annoyance, and kept quiet in Ravenclaw, eventually becoming a Potion's Master like his Godfather, Severus Snape.

Harry Potter went on to become a Defence Master, marrying Hermione Granger and later teaching Defence against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts along with being Head of Gryffindor House. Hermione herself became a Arithmancer and later taught Arithmancy at Hogwarts as well as being Headmistress. The couple had three children; James Sirius, Hadrian Remus and Lily Luna.

Neville married Luna and the pair travelled the world looking for exotic plants and creatures before settling down to write books and look after their two children, Lorcan and Lysander Longbottom.

Ron went on to be an auror, even climbing to the top as Head of the Department. He married Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and the couple had four children; Rose Molly, Jessica Amelia and the twins Fabian Arthur and Gideon Edgar.

Remus Lupin spent time as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, teaching Harry and his friends, before retiring to marry auror Nymphadora Tonks. The pair had two children; Theodore Remus and Lucy Andromeda.

Sirius Black never married but loved his friend's children as his own. He spent years as an auror before investing in Fred and George Weasleys joke shop, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and becoming a full time prank inventor and shop worker.

Lily Potter got her Charms Mastery and worked in the Department of Mysteries as an Unspeakable researcher. James Potter received his Mastery in Transfiguration and spent years with Sirius as an auror, retiring to teach Transfiguration at Hogwarts. The couple had another child after Harry, Elizabeth Lily, who, like her mother, eventually became an Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries. Elizabeth was in Slytherin at Hogwarts.

Dumbledore eventually figured out how James could have defeated Voldemort when he believed that only Harry or Neville could. James' parents, Fleamont and Euphemia Potter, defied Voldemort three times. Voldemort marked James as his equal when he decided to personally duel him. James transfigured a knife from a cup, which was a power the Dark Lord did not know.

James Potter was born September 30th, the seventh month by the Roman calendar, at 11:59, as the seventh month died.

 **A/N: Thanks for reading.**

 **Do you think I should do a sort of sequel to Born As the Seventh Month Dies, set between the events at Godric's Hollow and the epilogue, for hunting and destroying the horcruxes? And if I do, who should find and destroy them?**

 **I have made a poll on my profile page, and you can also PM me with ideas. Please let me know what you think.**

 **Also, I do know that James Potter's birthday is March 20th but I changed it for the story.**

 **Review, review, review!**

 **Lydi**


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